1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device, and an imaging method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital still cameras generate digital image data by converting a subject image (optical image) entered to an image sensor to an electrical signal, and record the digital image data on a recording medium such as a memory card according to a release operation of the imager. The digital still camera is generally mounted with an auto focus (automatic focus) mechanism and adopts an optical system having a large F value and a deep depth of field to facilitate the focusing. The imager thus can image the subject image focused on a subject by the auto focus mechanism and record the digital image data of the subject image by simply operating the release button with the digital still camera directed towards the subject.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-143461 discloses a digital still camera that performs multifocus imaging according to one release operation to provide a digital still camera capable of generating digital image data in which a focused range (focused point) can be arbitrarily changed after imaging. In the multifocus imaging of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-143461, a plurality of image data in which the focused positions differ from each other is obtained by imaging in a stepwise manner while automatically changing the focal position from the focal position on the shortest distance side to the focal position on the infinity side according to one release operation.